Appendix 6 - International Music Council

“Media” is specified as meaning “all forms of mass communication, including printed
publications, radio, television and new electronic platforms for delivering content” and
“media development” is described as meaning “the development of the media
environment and infrastructure so that historically disadvantaged communities and
persons have access to the media as owners, managers, producers and consumers of
media”. The Preamble notes that “it is desirable to ESTABLISH the Media
Development and Diversity Agency to help create an enabling environment for media
development and diversity that is conducive to public discourse and which reflects the
needs and aspirations of all South Africans; REDRESS exclusion and marginalisation of
disadvantaged communities and persons from access to the media and the media industry;
PROMOTE media development and diversity by providing support primarily to
community and small commercial media projects”.
With particular reference to the field of Music, by name, we have the Regulations relating
to the imposition of Sound Broadcasting License Conditions regarding South African
Music. See Addendum 5 for details.
Furthermore we have specific music content regulation – see Addendum 6 for details.
According to informant Marianne Feenstra, “Currently the music industry is running a
web-based petition to have this ratio increased”.
On the point of E-commerce, the answer obtained from a query addressed to a major
South African legal firm, was that “Our e-commerce laws are not as developed as those
of the more technologically advanced nations, and there certainly have been no
regulations that have a direct influence on trade in particular types of music”. Zwelakhe
Mbiba, quoted previously, also noted in this regard specifically: “Digital distribution
channels not well exploited or regulated (Cell phones and Internet).”
With regard to the field of Education, a point I have frequently made in the past is that,
after 1994, when it was announced that we would have two national government
departments, both including a brief related to the Arts/Culture/Music, and the educational
aspects thereof, we should have been able to feel delighted. However, what often
happens in reality is that this area falls between the two stools, figuratively speaking, with
the two departments leaving aspects to their counterpart, rather than dealing with it
themselves.
Relevant points to be found in the Education and Training White Paper of 6 July 2001 are
the following:
“In this White Paper we outline what an inclusive Education and Training system is, and
how we intend to build it” (P5).
Note that in Oct 1996, the then Minister of Education had appointed the National
Commission on Special Needs in Education and Training and the National Committee on
Education Support Services to make recommendations on all aspects of ‘special needs
and support services’ in Education and Training in South Africa.
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